The Express Tribune Magazine - October 5

OctOber 5-11 2014

The Ageless Superstar In conversation with shaan shahid

OctOber 5-11 2014

Feature

A cinematic carnival

Cover Story The Ageless Superstar Filmstar Shaan can still work up a crowd despite being in the film industry for over two decades

The 39th Toronto International Film Festival was a treat for cinema lovers

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Feature

30 Infographic

Danger at Home

Take precautions against hazardous substances

46

4

Meaty Eid Have a safe and healthy Eidul Azha

40 Regulars

6 People & Parties: Out and about with beautiful people 52 Reviews: Books 54 Positive Pakistani: Navin Merchant fights for her right to education

Magazine In-charge: Sarah Munir, Senior Subeditor: Dilaira Dubash and Subeditor: Simoneel Chawla Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Essa Malik, Jamal Khurshid, Munira Abbas, Mohsin Alam, Omer Asim, Sanober Ahmed & Talha Ahmed Khan Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Twitter: @ETribuneMag & Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ETribuneMag Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com

PEOPLE & PARTIES Fawad Khan hosts a special screening of Khoobsurat for the cancer patients at Shaukat Khanum in Lahore

PhoToS couRTESy LATITudE PR

Bilal Lashari with his father Kamran Lahari and mother

Fawad Khan and Sadaf Hina Butt

Iffat Umer with friends

6 OctOber 5-11 2014

Atif Aslam

Ayesha Sana

Ramzan Sheikh and Ali zafar

PEOPLE & PARTIES dawood Global Foundation hosts the 5th LAdIESFuNd速 Entrepreneurship conference in Karachi

Shaheen Khan and Samina Baig

PhoToS couRTESy FARooq uSmAN FoR Tud PR

Maliha Bhimjee

Kainat Abro

Tara Uzra Dawood

Shahnaz Wazir Al

8 OctOber 5-11 2014

Rukhsana Zuberi

Alycia Dias

Sharmila Faruqui

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Dr Ishrat Husain and Sayeeda Leghari

PhoToS couRTESy FARooq uSmAN FoR Tud PR

Jaweria Ali

Luna Klinner

Dr Fouzia Khan

Bina Ali

10 OctOber 5-11 2014

Iara Lee

Fatima Shamsie

Charmaine Hiyadutullah

PEOPLE & PARTIES

The ci Gusta and dip Shop joint outlet opens in Zamzama, Karachi

Marco-Nicola

Iqbal Ebrahim Teli

Karim Teli

Fatima Zehra

Guest Guest

12 OctOber 5-11 2014

Giulio Lazeolla

Samina Teli

PEOPLE & PARTIES The Paint Bucket displays the works of four artists at an exhibition titled ‘Resolving the Two Rights’ in Lahore

Hassan Sheikh and Neha

Aleena and Arsalan PhoToS couRTESy VERVE PR

Ahmad and Ansab

Alishae and Waleed

Ali and Khujusta

14 OctOber 5-11 2014

Kanwal Ilyas

Zahrah Ehsan and Anum Lashari

Daniya, Madiha and Fahad

Alizah Raza and Mujtaba Khan

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Kalsoom and Saba

PhoToS couRTESy VERVE PR

Minahil, Fariha and Ahmer Farooq

Saira Agha

Mr and Mrs Zafar Khurshid

16 OctOber 5-11 2014

Madeline

Sultan and Kami Yar Rokni

Sarah, David and Umair

FEATuRE

A cinematic carnival

Films from South Asia and the Middle East captivate audiences at the 39th Toronto International Film Festival

By AmnA R Ali DESiGn By SAnOBER AHmED PHOTOS COuRTESy TiFF

Eleven days and 40 films later, I emerged invigorated from an intense cinematic experience at the 39th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) that ran from September 4 to September 14, 2014, in Toronto, Canada. While some people find watching five films a day slightly excessive, for journalists and filmgoers who converge at the TIFF every year, there is no substitute for the energy at an international film festival.

The festival not only marks the beginning of the awards season but is also considered the launching pad for films that are the frontrunners for the Oscars. The variety of films screened at TIFF — ranging from mainstream films such While We’re Young starring Ben Stiller to foreign language films such as South Korean thriller, Haemoo — ensures that every kind of cinematic taste is catered to. My focus, however, remained on cinema from and about South Asia and the Middle East and I saw several films that showed a slice of life from the regions.

more than

300

20 OctOber 5-11 2014

films from over 60 countries were screened at the Toronto international Film Festival this year

Winter Sleep

A scene from Winter Sleep.

Turkish Master auteur Nur Bilge Ceylan creates cinema of Chekhovian proportions in this intense human drama set against the stunning backdrop of Cappadocia in central Anatolia. The film is based on the journey of Aydin (Haluk Bilginer) — a former actor who now runs a successful hotel in a small village and aspires to write a book on Turkish theatre — as he is stripped off of what he wants to be and comes to terms with who he truly is.

Rosewater English

Ma’a Al Fidaa Silvered Water: Syria Self-Portrait documents the devastation of the country over the past three years.

Ma’a Al Fidaa Silvered Water: Syria Self-Portrait Arabic This documentary by Osama Muhammad — a Syrian filmmaker/ journalist who has been living in Paris in exile since 2011 — uses hours of distilled, real-life footage of Syria’s civil war posted by Syrians online to expose the audience to the brutality of a war that has ravaged the region for nearly three years now. Footage by Wiam Simav Bedirxan, a young Kurdish female activist on the ground in Syria, who continued filming during the siege of Homs in 2011 has also been used to show the magnitude of the devastation. Some of the shots used such as torture at the hands of Assad’s security forces, sights of devastated homes and hospitals, mangled cats in alleys and children playing amidst the ruins show an all-too-familiar side of a war-torn Middle East but the intensity will have you cringing in pain.

Red Rose tells the story of a young women and an older man set against iran’s 2009 Green Revolution.

Red Rose Farsi This film by Sepideh Farsi, an exiled Iranian director living in France, is set against the backdrop of Iran’s 2009 Green Revolution — the post-election protests against what was considered a rigged election. The film is an interesting blend of drama laced with scenes captured from Tehran’s streets using cameras and phones. The plot revolves around Ali, a well-to-do middle-aged man and a young student Sara who seeks refuge in his apartment during the street protests. As Sara makes advances on the much older man, he is impressed by her political activism, a reminder of his own passion during the younger days. While their conversations are engaging, it is the startling explicitness of their relationship, captured on film, which gives the director an edge for venturing into an area usually avoided by Iranian filmmakers.

This film which marks the directorial debut of comedian/director Jon Stewart was also set during the same protests in Iran highlighting the experience of Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari. Bahari was covering the Iran elections for Newsweek in 2009 and was interviewed by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart correspondent, Jason Jones in Tehran. He was picked up by government authorities for spying and the film focuses more on his detention in a prison cell in Tehran, rather than the events taking place in the city. The brilliant Gael Garcia Bernal carries the film with integrity but does not pull off being an Iranian convincingly, especially because of his accent. His detainers are neither too violent nor overly exacting and since the film is in English, it seems that the intensity of the interrogation is weakened. On the other hand, the flashbacks of Bahari’s activist sister and his imaginary conversations with his father, both detained in the post-Shah Iran, are far more engaging.

Rosewater is based on the experience of iranian -Canadian journalist maziar Bahari. 21 OctOber 5-11 2014

FEATuRE

Villa Touma Arabic

Emraan Hashmi plays the Pakistani whistle blower who exposed nestle for its lethal formula in the film Tigers.

This film gives you a glimpse into the lives of the last of the Palestinian Christian bourgeoisie living in Ramallah during the early days of the Israeli Occupation. The Toumas are three single sisters who continue to live in their old family home which encapsulates the lifestyle and values of a time gone by. In an essential and brave attempt to depict a Palestine removed from its ravaged, war-torn reality, director Suha Arraf tries to keep war out of her film and focuses on a dying aristocracy desperately trying to shut out the voices of war that get louder and louder each day.

Arraf, a Palestinian Muslim living in Israel, also stirred controversy when she attempted to classify her film as Palestinian rather than Israeli even though the film was made mostly with Israeli public funds, including the Israel Film Fund. “The State of Israel never accepted us as citizens with equal rights. Why, then, am I expected to represent Israel with pride?” wrote Arraf in a recent article. She submitted her film to TIFF without naming a country. Her film remains stateless.

Tigers Hindi, English, urdu, German This film is based on the true story of Syed Aamir Raza (played by Emraan Hashmi), the former Nestlé formula salesman who had to leave Pakistan after he exposed the company for selling formula that killed hundreds of babies, especially in the country’s poorest areas. Director Danis Tanović, Bosnian Acadamy Award-winning director of No Man’s Land, has taken a compelling story and breathed life into it by the attention to detail and accurate portrayal of events as they happened. This does not come as a surprise given that Tanović travelled to Pakistan to learn about the extent of the fallout.

Raza was honoured for his bravery by the Canadian government at TIFF last month and was also present at the world premiere of Tigers with his wife where he was applauded by the audience. Tanović believes that the film focuses on a complex global issue that cannot be reduced to one corporation alone. He bases his film in Pakistan, however, since Raza was the only whistleblower who had evidence and came out in the open with it.

22 OctOber 5-11 2014

Villa Touma traces the remnants of a dying aristocracy in Palestine.

Margarita, with a Straw Hindi, English This coming-of-age film deals with two important issues that are generally overlooked by mainstream cinema in India — disability and sexuality. But more than that, it tells a story of courage and the triumph of human will over fear. The film is based on Laila (Kalki Koechlin), a young woman with cerebral palsy who yearns for all the same things as her peers — love, men, success and fun.

After finishing her education at Delhi University, she makes it to a college in New York and falls in love with Khanum, a female Pakistani-Bengali fellow student. The film is inspired by people and events in Shonali Bose’s own life and the director’s sensitive treatment of the subject along with Koechlin’s phenomenal acting make it a delight to watch.

Mardan’s stunning visuals are the film’s highlight.

Mardan Kurdish This visually stunning film set in Iraq’s rugged terrain depicts a place and people, with authentic insight. The lead character, Mardan is a brooding police officer, tortured by disturbing childhood memories and the current guilt of taking bribes. When confronted by a problematic case, Mardan helps a young mother look for her missing husband. As the plot progresses, the film is brought to life by the way the location, customs and characters are pictured. Mardan is the debut feature of Batin Ghobadi, brother of acclaimed director, Bahman Ghobadi, whose films on Kurdistan including Turtles Can Fly and Half Moon have been widely acclaimed at film festivals around the world.

$2

A ticket costs , based on a package of three daytime features back in 1976, when the Toronto film festival started. Today, a regular screening will cost you about, and a premium screening (where the celebrities show up) can go up to .

$22

$45

Margarita, with a Straw deals with the unusual subjects of disability and sexuality.

The themes and characters in most of the films from South Asia and the Middle East shown at TIFF were not strikingly unusual for those who belong to the region or are wellversed with its realities. The strong scripts, exceptional cinematography and detailed portrayal of characters, however, added a freshness to subjects which one may have seen in the past but may not have been necessarily moved by them.

These films were also a reminder that sometimes seeing real life events projected on reel is what it takes to drive a point home.

Amna R Ali is a journalist who writes about culture, people, the arts; books, cinema and contemporary art; food, lifestyle and the current cultural buzz.

OctOber 5-11 2014

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COVER STORY

30 OctOber 5-11 2014

The Ageless Superstar Love for family and films is perhaps Filmstar shaan’s greatest asset

BY RafaY MahMOOd PhOTOS BY aRIf SOOMRO dESIGN BY MUNIRa aBBaS

filmstar Shaan Shahid has acquired quite a reputation recently for his (often misconstrued) jingoistic statements about working in Bollywood which inevitably triggered bigger debates about patriotism and artistic freedom. But for the millions who admire him, their love for this timeless hero — who plays a gandasa wielding gujjar and a morally upright army officer with equal ease — is not determined by words but box office numbers. Shaan may have skillfully maneuvered the complicated landscape of the Pakistani film industry over the decades but his love for celluloid is pretty straightforward — it is the manifestation of a young boy’s adulation for a father he only knew through his work and the desire to breathe life into things on a majestic 65mm screen.

It’s all in the family

Shaan’s genes can be partially credited for his undying love of films. Being the son of well-known filmmaker Riaz Shahid — who started his film career in 1962 with the film Susraal and went onto write several hits such as Yeh Aman, Farangi and Zarqa to name a few — the understanding and devotion to the medium came to Shaan naturally. Even though his father passed away when he was just a year old, his ideological influence continued to shape his career and decisions even long after. Perhaps it was the vacuum left by not having spent enough time with his father that made Shaan consciously search for the principles that his father once stood for,

31 OctOber 5-11 2014

With his wife and daughters.

PHoTo CouRTESY: SHAAN

With his wife amina, who has been a constant source of support for Shaan throughout his career.

PHoTo CouRTESY: SHAAN

Shaan made his debut in 1990 with the film, Bulandi

Winning an Oscar does not mean anything to me because I am more of a people’s man.

My fulfillment is derived from the average man on the road who leaves feeling satisfied after watching my film

32 OctOber 5-11 2014

starring opposite filmstar, Reema With a portrait of his father, acclaimed filmwriter Riaz Shahid, who remains a strong influence on Shaan’s personal and professional choices.

PHoTo CouRTESY: SHAAN

such as loyalty to the craft and persistence, and eventually embrace them.

“The ideological DNA has to be carried through the generations from father to son or mother to daughter,” he says in an interview. “That is how you find a set of principles to build yourself upon.”

Following in his father’s footsteps is also one of the reasons why Shaan believes he has survived the test of time and regained his status as the face of Pakistani films without switching to any other form of storytelling. “I had a legacy to take forward which was more of a responsibility on my shoulders,” he asserts. “The fact that my father made so many controversial films in that era gave me the motivation that things will only get better.” His decision to pursue formal training in filmmak-

ing from The City College of New York further convinced him that films were his true calling. “My studies just did it for me. The entire process of working with a team to put a story together is so engrossing that I knew that if I can get this form of communication right, then nothing else will surpass that experience,” he shares.

As Shaan evolved from a young wideeyed boy struggling to mark his presence in a frame to a suave powerhouse who commands attention on screen with every gesture and dialogue, his family remained a staunch constant in his life. Everyone, from his mother to wife Amina, his triplets and brother’s family kept him rooted in reality. So while the characters he played changed constantly, the Shaan who walked off

Had Shoaib Mansoor come out of his ‘Shaoib Mansoor’ mode, he could have easily become the Yash Raj Films of Pakistan. But he chose to keep everything to himself and as a result ended up producing two films in 10 years which is nothing!

the film set always remained the same — a husband, a son and a father. “You must have heard of actors who grow a beard when they take a break from acting and are just chilling at home but that is not the case with me,” he shares as he blushes and rubs the goatee that he is sporting these days for a press release. “My daughters don’t let me kiss them when I have a stubble, so I basically have to shave every other day to meet ‘their’ expectations.”

a scene from his upcoming film, Operation 021.

PHoTo CouRTESY: PuBlICITY

Everything’s better on the big screen

Currently, as Shaan prepares for the release of his highly anticipated thriller Operation 021 which hits cinemas in the first week of october, his eyes are already set onto his next goal — venturing into film production and direction.

The transition should be smooth given his vast experience and understanding of the medium. But Shaan’s focus is much bigger — he wants to stabilise an industry that has long been fractured by inflated egos, unnecessary politics and divisions between Karachi and lahore, the two major Pakistani centres for film. “First of all we need to have a no-ego club because that is the only way to work for a common cause,” he says. “once the club is formed, we will have to include all the Karachi and lahorebased filmmakers in it and help them understand why ending the lahoreKarachi clash is more important than resolving the India-Pakistan conflict.”

He elaborates that all the experienced

The poster from Operation 021 scheduled to release this month.

PHoTo CouRTESY: PuBlICITY

a scene from the film, Waar which broke all box office records in Pakistan.

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PHoTo CouRTESY: SHAAN OctOber 5-11 2014

COVER STORY

The ideological DNA has to be carried through the generations from father to son or mother to daughter.

That is how you find a set of principles to build yourself upon Shaan’s performance as a morally upright army officer in Waar was highly appreciated by audiences. PHoTo CouRTESY: PuBlICITY film writers and technicians are twiddling their thumbs in lahore whereas all the fresh minds are in Karachi. To bridge this gap, Shaan recommends the formation of a national guild, where actors, producers, directors and technicians from across the country can collaborate.

He cites acclaimed Pakistani entertainer, Shoaib Mansoor as an example of someone who missed the opportunity to create an industry. “Had Shoaib Mansoor come out of his ‘Shaoib Mansoor’ mode, he could have easily become the Yash Raj Films of Pakistan. But he chose to keep everything to himself and as a result ended up producing two films in 10 years which is nothing!” He pauses to take a sip of water. Being a staunch advocate of seniors’ responsibility to support and promote the younger lot, Shaan has also set up his own production company called ‘Riaz Shahid Films’ where young filmmakers will be welcomed to pitch their ideas. Similarly, he also signed a film, Shiny Toy Guns with a Karachi-based production company which is scheduled for release in 2015.

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The Times They Are aChangin’

Despite all its challenges, the Pakistani film industry has gone through a major revival in the past few years. Films like Khuda ke Liye, Waar and Zinda Bhaag have not only proven their commercial worth at the box office but also put the Pakistani film industry back on the entertainment map. local artists like Ali Zafar, Humaima Malik, Imran Abbas and Fawad Khan have also landed Bollywood deals. Recently, the Fawad Khan starrer Khoobusrat created havoc at the local box office by beating the Yash Raj Film’s production Daawat-e-Ishq. The film has also been labelled a hit in India and Khan has been flooded with modeling and acting offers. The overwhelming reception, both at home and across the border indicate the arrival of the new Khan in Bollywood but will it create serious competition for Shaan back at home? “Not really,” Shaan responds confidently. He turned down the role of the villain in the 2008 superhit Ghajini as he was dissatisfied with the limited scope and potential of characters that are usually offered to

On the set of Waar, with director Bilal Lashari.

PHoTo CouRTESY: PuBlICITY

Till date, Shaan has

576

films to his credit

during a shoot for Operation 021 with co-star Shamoon abbasi.

PHoTo CouRTESY: PuBlICITY

Pakistanis in Bollywood. “Although I have not seen his film yet but the Ali Zafars and Fawad Khans have to compete with each other to prove a point.” He adds that he would only consider them competition if they remain as resilient and picky as he has been in refusing to do certain kind of films for a long time.

More than his acting, Khan has been hailed for his charming good looks and has had women sighing and swooning on both sides of the border. Seeing Khan’s reception, one can’t help but wonder how the chiseled maverick Shaan will be received by audiences, women especially, if he starred in a Bollywood production. “I like the idea but then I also have a wife,” says Shaan with a mischievous smile. However, he is quick to add to the comment on a serious note, “I am not closed to [the idea of] working in Bollywood, given that they don’t cast me specifically as a

Pakistani. Secondly, this is not the time to go anywhere because if I go to Bollywood right now then no one’s going to stay back.”

Even though, it is his firm stance about working in Indian films that has attracted all the media attention, Shaan’s approach towards working in films produced anywhere in the world is uniform. “Winning an oscar does not mean anything to me because I am more of a people’s man,” he says. “My fulfillment is derived from the average man on the road who leaves feeling satisfied after watching my film.” According to Shaan, every actor sets their own benchmark for success. For him, his position is somewhat similar to that of a doctor serving patients in Congo. “If someone offers him a well-paying job in the uS, will he take it? Not really.

Because the work he is doing in Congo is unique and cannot be replaced by the best of offers.” T

Rafay Mahmood heads the life and style desk at The Express Tribune. He tweets @Rafay_mahmood

35 OctOber 5-11 2014

FEATURE Take caution against the Congo virus

Beef up your precautions for a hale and hearty Eidul Azha

Eid

BY SIMONEEL CHAWLA DESIGN BY MOHSIN ALAM

A

s Eidul Azha approaches, people gear up to spend hours at the bakra mandi to find the fittest and most reasonably priced sacrificial animal and families get ready to cook and manage the meat for distribution. Rising prices, health hazards and the sweltering heat, however, can make the ritual sacrifice quite taxing. We provide you with a few basic guidelines to make this Eid safe, special and easier for everyone.

Place of purchase

The cost of Qurbani

Market/ Mandi

Rs 19k - Rs30k

Rs 22k - Rs90k

Rs 55k - Rs65k

Online

Rs 9.5k - Rs14k

Rs 20k - Rs80k

Rs 49k - Rs55k

Note: Prices quoted above indicate an average range and may vary according to location.

Have a Hygienic Eid! • Ensure that the meat is not contaminated by fluid during the qurbani process.

• Disinfect and sanitise the corner of the house in which the animal was slaughtered.

• All inedible internal organs should be disposed off properly into dumpsters dedicated for this purpose.

Slice, store and savour later

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• Meat should be sliced, washed, completely drained and sealed in a plastic film (to prevent the growth of fungi and bacteria) before being frozen.

• It should be stored on a tray to prevent it from dripping blood on to other food items.

• To thaw meat, shift it to the fridge the night before you plan to cook it.

• Use the meat within one or two days while it is still cherry red in colour or brownish-red. If it turns brown, the meat is old.

• The texture of the meat should be firm and it should look moist instead of wet and sticky.

OCTOBER 5-11 2014

Healthcare providers across the country advice people to take precautionary measures against the Congo virus after it recently claimed the lives of two people in Karachi. “Pakistan has been seeing cases of the Congo virus in sheep and cows over the last year or so,” says Dr Faisal Mahmood, assistant professor at The Aga Khan University, Karachi, and an infectious disease specialist. The virus is primarily transmitted to people from ticks on infected animals and if they are exposed directly to the blood of an infected animal, but there is no harm if one consumes the cooked meat of an infected animal, explains Dr Mahmood. “There is no way to detect if an animal is sick, as it will look healthy despite being infected.”

Prevention • Cover your skin as much as possible — wear full-sleeved clothes, socks and closed shoes when you go to the mandi.

• Use an insect repellant.

• Shower immediately and change your clothes when you return.

• Butchers should cover their mouth while slaughtering the animal and take great care not to rub their eyes or scratch their face at any point during the process. They should wash their hands as much possible with running water and soap and use a hand sanitiser afterwards.

Check before you buy • Check the animal for pale or dull eyes.

• Watch out for an animal that appears to be lazy, especially if it does not move for a long period of time.

• Make sure that the animal’s skin is smooth and free from blisters behind the ears.

• Ensure that the mouth, teeth and hooves have no abnormalities and that the animal does not give off a strong odour.

Good reasons to eat meat

Make healthy choices by knowing the cholesterol content in different types of meat. Here are some nutritional facts that will help you make your diet plan

A 3oz serving each of the different beef cuts and the cholesterol they contain — The brisket (80 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol), top round (75mg of cholesterol), beef sausages (40mg of cholesterol) and rib eye, eye round roast, stew beef and cubed steak cuts (50mg of cholesterol).

A lean steak has 187 calories per 100g and cooked ground beef has 276 calories per 100g.

Ground lamb has 282 calories per 100g and a 4oz serving contains 25% protein and 75% fat that does not include carbohydrates.

Herbs to cook with that lower cholestrol

A 3oz serving each of mutton or lamb and the cholesterol they contain — lamb legs (65mg-78mg of cholesterol), lamb chops (59mg-78mg of cholesterol), roasted ribs (50mg-77mg of cholesterol) and lamb brain (1,736mg2,128mg of cholesterol).

Help Others Contact the following organisations if you wish to donate.

Saylani Welfare Trust Qurbani Foundation

Edhi Foundation

0092 2134130786

001 786 2887866

0092 21 32413232

saylaniwelfare. com/donation/

qurbani.com/ what-we-do/islamic-services/ qurbani/

www.edhi.org/ donate-us/

Garlic (500 - 1,000 mg/day) Green tea (600 mg/day) Olive leaves Ginger

Guilt free eating This Eid, chef Shai recommends the Tabla biryani recipe that is low on cholesterol and high on flavour.

Ingredients Basmati rice 1 cup Lamb ½ kg (boneless lean meat) Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp Onions 2 (chopped) Yogurt ½ cup Tomatoes 4 (puréed) Biryani masala mix ½ packet (any good brand) Salt to taste Oil ½ cup Saffron milk ¼ cup (½ tsp saffron mixed with milk) Yogurt mixed with 1 tsp garam masala ½ cup Sliced almond ½ cup (toasted) Fresh coriander ¼ cup chopped Mint 2 tbsp (chopped) Green chilies 2 tbsp (chopped) Ginger 2 tbsp (julienned) Fried onions ½ cup Melted margarine ¼ cup A handful of chapatti dough

Method 1. Boil the rice and set aside.

2. Heat oil, add the chopped onion and cook until golden. Add meat, ginger and garlic paste, biryani masala and yogurt and cook for a few minutes.

3. Add tomatoes and some water, cover and let it cook until the meat is tender or until all the water has dried and the masala starts to release oil from the sides of the pan.

4. Pre heat the oven at 200°C. Take a large clay handi or any other nonstick pan and make two layers of all the contents in the pan, including the rice, except the fried onions and toasted almond as they will be used later to garnish.

5. Make sure to seal the lid of pan with the chapatti dough. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for half an hour. Remove the lid, add fresh coriander and mix the biryani before dishing it out.

6. Garnish and serve with fresh salad and cucumber raita. Enjoy! T

Simoneel Chawla is a subeditor for The Express Tribune Magazine. She tweets @simoneelc OCTOBER 5-11 2014

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INFOGRAPHIC

Danger at Home Phthalates

Effects

How to Avoid

Can damage reproductive system

Avoid PVC plastics and plastics marked with recycling label

Linked to decrease in sperm count

Keep clear of products that have “added fragrance” on the label

Increased risk of diabetes

Eat more organic fruit and vegetables

L Lead to early p puberty in girls Commonly found in: Adhesives and glues, electronics, agricultural adjuvants, building materials, personal-care products, medical devices, detergents, packaging, children’s toys, modeling clay, waxes, paints, printing inks and coatings and things made of vinyl or PVC.

DESIGN BY OMER ASIM

Are you aware of all the potentially harmful toxins and chemicals hidden in everyday objects at home? We may not know it, but common objects such as plastics and paper products host properties that can cause hormone disruption as well as other complications which include damage to the immune system and even cancer. Here’s an inside look at some of the leading offenders, their effects on health and how to avoid them.

Effects Effect

Flame Retardants

Innocuous objects found at home can be hazardous to health

BY OWAIN LLOYD-WILLIAMS

How to Avoid

Linked to thyroid hor- Use vacuum cleaners that include a hepa mones disruption filter Linked with Austistic symptoms

Use face masks when cleaning carpets

Can lower sperm count

Avoid reupholstering your foam furniture

Commonly found in: Furniture containing polyurethane including couches, chairs, futons and carpet padding.

Related to breast cancer Can disrupt hormone levels and sperm count Can harm the immune system

How to Avoid Cook with ceramics and glassware instead of non-stick pans Find out if there are PFCs in stain-resistant carpets, cleaning products and cookware

C cause kidney Can p problems

Commonly found in: Grease-resistant food packaging and paper products, such as microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes and cleaning and personal-care products like shampoo, dental floss and denture cleaners.

46 OCTOBER 5-11 2014

Effects

BPA (Bisphenol A)

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFC)

Effects

How to Avoid

Can disrupt hormonal development in fetuses

Try to avoid receipts and go digital instead

Can increase risk of breast cancer

Cut down on plastic g marked with recycling label

Linked to obesity and heart disease

Opt for fresh food overr cans

Commonly found in: A variety of common consumer goods, such as water bottles, sports equipment, CDs and DVDs. Epoxy resins containing BPA are used to line water pipes, as coatings on the inside of many food and beverage cans and in making thermal paper such as that used in sales receipts.

Effects

How to Avoid

Can lower IQ and lead Avoid old paint that is to brain damage chipped or crumbling Invest in a good water filter

Can disrupt hormonal development in fetuses and premature birth p

Don’t wear outdoor shoes indoors to avoid lead found in soil

Lead

Can cause hearing and vision impairment

C lower sperm Can ccount Commonly found in: Paints in old homes, water pipes and some children’s toys.

Effects

How to Avoid Eat more organic produce

Linked to neurotoxic effects

Ensure produce is thoroughly washed before consumption

Can cause decrease in male testosterone L Linked with a vvariety of cancers

Remove outer leaves of vegetables such as lettuce to avoid contact with pesticide residue

Organophosphate Pesticides

Linked to Parkinson’s disease

Commonly found in: Areas that have gone through agriculture or residential landscaping, public recreation areas and in public health pest control programmes such as mosquito eradication.

Effects

How to Avoid

Can damage the reproductive system

Dioxin

Studies suggest it can Cut down on animal products and eat lower sperm quality more organic fruit and vegetables Can damage the Try to avoid chlorineimmune system based bleach Avoid bleached paper in products like disposable diapers and toilet paper

Commonly found in: Some soils, sediments and food, especially dairy products, meat, fish and shellfish.

Very low levels are found in plants, water and air.

Owain Lloyd-Williams is a UK-based writer and creative content author.

He tweets @Owain_LW OCTOBER 5-11 2014

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BOOK

Butterfly’s musings Moni Mohsin once again holds a mirror to the society, but does it with a smile

BY SAADIA QAMAR

Satire is perhaps the most liberating form of writing as it allows the writer to talk about key issues — that might be too sensitive to tread upon otherwise — under the guise of humour. And with her latest book The Return of the Butterfly, acclaimed author/columnist Moni Mohsin once again reminds readers of the power of a well-cloaked joke in a deeply conflicted country like Pakistan.

Mohsin uses the lens of a highsociety ‘butterfly’, flitting from Lahore to London to make scathing comments about the prevalent class inequality, poverty, apathy and political chaos in the country. From the first part of the butterfly series that appeared in 2008 to her latest addition, Mohsin has cleverly used this franchise to reflect on everything from Benazir Bhutto’s assassination to the escalation of terrorism, economic downfall and the latest turn of events in the form of Imran Khan’s growing political influence. Despite taking a dig at complicated social and po-

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Mirages of the Mind The English translation of Mushtaq Ahmed Yousufi’s Urdu novel Aabe-Gum, encapsulates the many aspects of living in South Asia — its culture, familial relations, the pain of Partition and the nostalgia among those who witnessed the breakup of the subcontinent — with excellent satire.

OCTOBER 5-11 2014

litical issues, the book manages to keep the reader engaged throughout with its army of entertaining characters.

For example, there is Janoo, butterfly’s husband and her ticket to the good life, her dominating mother, son Kolchoo who she loves to control and nagging in-laws.

Like the earlier parts, Mohsin maintains the same tone of addressing the reader directly throughout this book as well. Her use of colloquial language and illogical transition from Urdu to English will make you cringe and laugh at the same time — strangely reminiscent of how events in the country can make you feel as well. But Mohsin’s greatest victory lies in her ability to allow the reader to laugh at situations without undermining their gravity — a lifesaving skill in a country where fact is often stranger than fiction (or satire in this case).T

Available at Liberty Books for Rs599.

Saadia Qamar is a life and style reporter at The Express Tribune.

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For more A Case of Exploding Mangoes This book by Mohammad Hanif deals with the aftermath of General Ziaul Haq’s death in a plane crash.

In the novel itself, the fictitious story develops as seen and narrated by a member of the Pakistan Air Force, Ali Shigri.

Author Moni Mohsin.

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Paro: Dreams of Passion Namita Gokhale’s entertaining literary debut takes you through Delhi’s tightly guarded social circles exposing its hypocrisy, class struggle and power battles.

The story is told in the form of diary entries by Priya, a middle class woman as she observes Paro, her boss’s rich vivacious wife as she romps through Delhi’s posh colonies.

A battle won

Acclaimed lawyer Navin Merchant took charge of her future when she refused to put down her books

By ZainaB Saeed deSiGn By eSSa MaLiK

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PAKISTANI

navin Merchant receiving the iFC CeO Gender award 2010. PHOTO COURTESY: NAVIN MERCHANT

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eing married off at an early age and then asked to replace books with pots and pans is a tragedy many women in Pakistan can relate to. Navin Merchant was no exception. After being abruptly pulled out of school, while she was still in grade 10, she was asked to assume her role as a housewife and say goodbye to academics. But this is where her story takes a different trajectory than the conventional one and ends on a surprisingly happy note.

Navin not only pursued her education while fulfilling her duties as a mother and a wife, but she also went on to become a lawyer and consultant for the World Bank.

“I just had to be educated,” says Navin, recalling how she felt as she watched her friends complete their education while she was made to stay at home with expectations to raise a family. According to her in-laws, a woman did not need a career to be happy, but Navin had different aspirations.

OctOber 5-11 2014

For the next two years she frequently visited her parents for unperturbed study sessions and managed to sit for her matric exams. The results were unfortunately unsatisfactory as she had a three-month old infant to look after and also had to deal with the additional strain of keeping her studies a secret. Partly disappointed in herself, Navin eventually came clean in front of her in-laws and temporarily put away her books and decided to focus at home. But she couldn’t shake off the desire to do more with her life and eventually decided to give academics another shot.

Despite being the mother of two daughters this time around, Navin was determined to succeed. She religiously studied each day from 3am to 6am, in order to give her children undivided attention afterwards, and sat for her intermediate exams thoroughly prepared. Seeing Navin’s promising results, her husband, Saleem Merchant, extended his unwavering support and the pair has been working together since.

Following in Saleem’s footsteps, Navin decided to pursue a successful career in law. She started working at a law firm run by one of her husband’s friends where she was presented with her first high court case and managed to score a decisive legal victory. Soon after, she set up her own private firm, Navin Merchant Associates, which was renamed as Merchant Law following her partnership with her husband in 1990.

Her big break came in 2005, however, when she was singled out at a World Bank conference on arbitration and mediation for having a heated debate with the panel of speakers. Due to her knowledge on the subject, she was nominated to oversee the Alternative Dispute Resolution programme to be launched by the International Finance Corporation in the Middle East and North Africa. After completing her seven-year stint for the World Bank in 2013, Navin resumed work at her firm. “With hard work, destiny follows,” she says, advising those facing a similar struggle in life to “always aim high”.

Zainab Saeed is a student, a home tutor and an aspiring journalist.

She tweets @zainabssaeed